Hepatitis B & C screening

AN ACT Relating to hepatitis B and hepatitis C screening; and 1
adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.54 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, an 6
adult patient who receives primary care services from a health care 7
entity where primary care services are provided shall be offered a 8
hepatitis B screening test and a hepatitis C screening test during an 9
annual physical examination, wellness visit, or the first visit with 10
a provider that is new to the patient based on the latest screening 11
indications recommended by the federal centers for disease control 12
and prevention. A health care entity where primary care services are 13
provided may comply with this subsection by: 14
(a) Offering patients that meet the recommended screening 15
indications a hepatitis B screening test and a hepatitis C screening 16
test during an annual physical examination, wellness visit, or the 17
first visit with a provider that is new to the patient;18
(b) Incorporating a prompt for hepatitis B screening tests and 19
hepatitis C screening tests for the recommended populations into the 20
health care entity's electronic health record system; or21
H-0844.2
HOUSE BILL 1674
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Thai, Reed, Scott, Parshley, Zahn, and Macri
Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Health Care &
Wellness.
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(c) Sending routine mailers or electronic communications to the 1
health care entity's primary care patients that meet the recommended 2
screening indications informing patients of the availability and 3
importance of hepatitis B screening tests and hepatitis C screening 4
tests. 5
(2) A hepatitis B screening test and a hepatitis C screening test 6
are not required to be offered by the health care entity if:7
(a) The patient is being treated for a life-threatening 8
emergency; 9
(b) The patient has previously been offered or has been the 10
subject of a hepatitis B screening test or a hepatitis C screening 11
test, unless a health care provider within the health care entity 12
determines that one or both of the screening tests should be offered 13
again; or 14
(c) The patient lacks capacity to consent to a hepatitis B 15
screening test or a hepatitis C screening test, or both.16
(3)(a) If the patient accepts the offer of the hepatitis B 17
screening test and the test is hepatitis B surface antigen positive, 18
the health care provider within the health care entity shall offer 19
the patient follow-up health care or refer the patient to another 20
health care provider who can provide follow-up health care.21
(b) If a patient accepts the offer of the hepatitis C screening 22
test and the test is positive, the health care provider within the 23
health care entity shall offer the patient follow-up health care or 24
refer the patient to another health care provider who can provide 25
follow-up health care. The follow-up health care shall include a 26
hepatitis C diagnostic test. 27
(4) The offering of a hepatitis B screening test and a hepatitis 28
C screening test under this section must be culturally and 29
linguistically appropriate. 30
(5) By January 1, 2026, health care providers providing primary 31
care services must complete health training modules on hepatitis B 32
and hepatitis C offered online by the University of Washington. 33
Health care providers licensed after January 1, 2026, or new to 34
providing primary care services after that date, must complete the 35
training modules before providing primary care services.36
(6) This section does not affect the scope of practice of any 37
health care provider or diminish any authority or legal or 38
professional obligation of any health care provider to offer a 39
hepatitis B screening test, hepatitis C screening test, or both, or a 40
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hepatitis C diagnostic test, or to provide services or care for the 1
patient of a hepatitis B screening test, hepatitis C screening test, 2
or both, or a hepatitis C diagnostic test. 3
(7) A health care provider or health care entity where primary 4
care services are provided that fails to comply with the requirements 5
of this section shall not be subject to any actions related to their 6
licensure or certification, or to any civil or criminal liability, 7
because of the health care entity's failure to comply with the 8
requirements of this section. 9
(8) The department of health may adopt rules necessary to 10
implement this section and any additional rules involving the 11
offering of screening tests and treatment requirements for hepatitis 12
B and hepatitis C and the training for health care entities and 13
health care providers. 14
(9) For purposes of this section: 15
(a) "Follow-up health care" includes providing medical management 16
and antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C 17
according to the latest national clinical practice guidelines 18
recommended by the American association for the study of liver 19
diseases. 20
(b) "Health care entity where primary care services are provided" 21
means an unlicensed health care clinic, urgent care clinic, and any 22
other health care setting where primary care services are provided.23
(c) "Hepatitis B screening test" includes any laboratory test or 24
tests that detect the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen and 25
provides confirmation of whether the patient has a chronic hepatitis 26
B infection. 27
(d) "Hepatitis C diagnostic test" includes any laboratory test or 28
tests that detect the presence of the hepatitis C virus in the blood 29
and provides confirmation of whether the patient has an active 30
hepatitis C virus infection. 31
(e) "Hepatitis C screening test" includes any laboratory 32
screening test or tests that detect the presence of hepatitis C virus 33
antibodies in the blood and provides confirmation of whether the 34
patient has ever been infected with the hepatitis C virus.35
(f) "Primary care services" means routine health care services, 36
including screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for the 37
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purpose of promotion of health, and detection and management of 1
disease or injury. 2
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